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Hassalo on Eighth, pt I: Masterplan & Site Design (images)

This post is the first in a series on Hassalo on Eighth. See also Part II about the Velomor, Part III about the Elwood and Part IV about the Aster Tower.

Since its development in the mid-century, the Lloyd District has always been a major retail and business destination. It has always however lacked residents; at the 2010 census only 1,142 people lived in the district. Hassalo on Eighth intends to change that, by adding 657 apartments units on what was previously a single superblock. The project by American Assets Trust, GBD Architects and Place Studio landscape architects also includes 44,000 sq of retail, 1,200 underground car parking spaces and 1,200 bike parking spaces.

The site, seen below in 2012, was previously developed as superblock, bound by NE 7th Ave, Multnomah St, 9th Ave and Holladay St. Most of the site was used for surface parking, with the exception of the 1971 Lloyd 700 Building, which remains at the northwest corner of the site. The MAX blue, red and green lines run along NE Holladay St, and stop at NE 7th Ave. The site is also directly adjacent to the streetcar CL line.

Hassalo on 8th reinstates the traditional Portland 200′ x 200′ street grid by introducing two new streets. In the north/south direction a new pedestrian “water” street will be created, in alignment with NE 8th Ave. In the north/south direction NE Hassalo St will be extended through the site as a private drive. The project includes three new buildings: a 21-story to be named the Aster Tower; a 5 story building to be named The Elwood; and a six story building which will be called the Velomor.

Where NE 8th Avenue and NE Hassalo intersect a new plaza will be created, in front of the Lloyd 700 building. The plaza will include fixed seating, a glass pavilion, trees and stormwater plantings. The surface of the plaza will be concrete with an exposed aggregate finish.

The north-south pedestrian street will prominently display the project’s water treatment strategies, with the intention to put “science on display.” A series of bioswales will line the street to deal with stormwater. 60,000 gallons of daily greywater and blackwater will be treated by a living machine, with planted tidal cells on display at the ground level. The resulting water will reused for landscaping, cooling tower replenishment and toilets.

This project is a vast improvement over what has been in place here since the 1970’s. The current configuration has a significant amount of surface parking, does not facilitate pedestrian movement through the site, and does not showcase its iconic building that is a large part of what has become the Lloyd District character. With the introduction of NE Water and Hassalo Streets, a significant public plaza, and under grounding of all the parking, this project corrects past mistakes. The new plaza and added pedestrian circulation will offer plenty of opportunities for rest, play, and education within the project and connectivity through the District.

Three new buildings offering this significant amount of residential and retail uses is needed in the Lloyd District and can easily change the dynamic of the neighborhood. This will be a hugely successful project for not only the Lloyd District, but for its neighbors and the Central City as a whole.

Construction began in the summer of 2013, and is scheduled for completion in the summer of 2015. Design work for Oregon Square, the second phase in the redevelopment of land owned by American Assets Trust in the Lloyd District, has already begun.

Subsequent posts on Next Portland will look at the individual buildings in the Hassalo on Eighth project.